Cass Gilbert

We’re always striving to improve the routes we publish on the site. As such, Cass Gilbert headed out to re-ride a section of the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route (TEMBR) at the end of last season to work on some improvements. In preparation for this year’s season, here’s a collection of images from the journey and thoughts on what bike suits it best…

Bikepacking in sandals? And non-clipless ones, at that? Cass Gilbert rides 800 Baja Californian miles in a pair of Bedrock Cairn Adventure Sandals to see what all the Instagram fuss is about… and reports back on how they felt for long distance bikepacking and whether he stubbed his toes…

To wrap up the Baja Divide season, Cass Gilbert heads off to tackle the 555-mile Missions section of the route, considered to be its highlight. He returns with a tan, a ride gallery, and advice on the ride itself, including some logistical details for zoning in on this glorious, easily accessed part of the 1,700 mile route. If you’ve two weeks to spare next winter, start dreaming now…

Designed to tether with your smartphone and sync with your Ride With GPS or Strava account, the Wahoo ELEMNT aims to simplify the process of navigating with a dedicated GPS. After a year of regular use, here’s our full report on how it’s fared, what we really like about it, and what we think could be improved (because Wahoo is constantly rolling out firmware updates)…

Cass and his family crew take a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 on tour through Baja California, Mexico, where it provides the perfect capsule for star gazing and beach camping. Read on for the full review, strip lighting and all…

In this edition of Rider and Rig, we check out Nancy’s Surly ECR and her five-year-old son Sage’s Tout Terrain Streamliner, used on a two-week tour around the Baja Divide’s Cape Loop. Find out the differences between the previous 29+ model and the new 27.5+ version, and check out Sage’s awesome suspended trailer bike, complete with its own seatpack.

Are you thinking of giving flat pedal bikepacking and mountain biking a go? At $50, Kona’s composite Wah Wah IIs may be the excuse you’re after. We took a set to Baja California to see if they’re as tough as they are affordable…

In our latest Rider and Rig, we caught up with Nate Shearer as he rode the New Mexico Off Road Runner and the Monumental Loop. Along the way, we talked front loading on his B+ Trek Sawyer, racing in the BMX Nationals, using bikes as a form of escape and identity, and abstract storytelling…

With independent saddle rail straps, new buckles, and a revamped harness structure, the all new Revelate Terrapin System 8L is much more than just a compact version of its bigger brother. We had a chance to get ahold of one for this first look…

On the eve of a weeklong winter bikepack, we catch up with musician and poet Ben Weaver as he preps his Salsa Blackborow. Ben’s no stranger to long, music-themed bike tours. We ask him how he uses his bicycle as a way of connecting with his audience and find out about his summer tour, celebrating 20 years of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route through riding and music…

After spending a week bikepacking among the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, we stopped in at Rogue Panda Designs, tucked away in the backstreets of nearby Flagstaff. Find out what makes this bikepacking bag business tick, learn about its distinctive flag-themed framebags, discover the story behind its quirky name… and enjoy an ultralight recipe from owner Nick Smolinske.

Every year, a hundred-strong tribe of winter-hardened fat bikers, skiers, and hikers gather in Northern Minnesota to race across a land known as the Icebox of the Nation. This year, I was one of them. Kind of…